Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema has called for reforms to transform the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan into a stronger regulatory and pricing authority for medicines.

He was chairing a high-level meeting on drug pricing in Islamabad today [Tuesday].

The meeting also held detailed deliberations on the existing pricing formula for imported medicines.

Ahad Cheema said the pricing framework should be transparent, evidence-based and responsive to market realities, while ensuring the availability of essential medicines and protecting consumers from unjustified price increases.

He called for developing a more rational, transparent and workable comparative mechanism for imported medicines falling in this category.